Handling Tool for Casing Tongs

ABSTRACT

Embodiments of a vertical pipe handler system ( 50 ) and method of its use include a casing tong handling tool ( 10 ) connected to a lifting tool ( 55 ) having a gripper head ( 51 ) and supported by an arm ( 53 ) of the vertical pipe handler system. The casing tong connection ( 33 ) of the handling tool is located toward the tool&#39;s lower end ( 21 ) and may be offset in a horizontal direction from the connection ( 29 ) to the lifting tool. The casing tong ( 60 ) then hangs off-center relative to the lifting tool. The amount of offset may be effective to prevent interference between the gripper head and a tubular being handled by the casing tong.

CROSS REFERENCE PARAGRAPH

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No.62/402,542, entitled “HANDLE TOOL FOR CASING TONGS,” filed Sep. 30,2016, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated herein byreference.

BACKGROUND

This section is intended to introduce the reader to various aspects ofart that may be related to various aspects of the present disclosure,which are described or claimed below. This discussion is believed to behelpful in providing the reader with background information tofacilitate a better understanding of the various aspects of the presentdisclosure. Accordingly, it should be understood that these statementsare to be read in this light, and not as admissions of prior art.

This disclosure relates to pipe handling equipment used on variousdrilling rigs, like jackup rigs, semisubmersible rigs, drill ships, orland rigs, and, in particular, to equipment used to perform verticaldrilling tubular handling operations on the drill floor.

Drilling tubulars include drill pipe, tubing, and casing (“tubulars”)which are assembled by threading one section of tubular to the next.Management of tubulars on the drill floor is conducted by variousvertical pipe handling components and features that retrieve tubular,position the tubular into the mousehole, and tighten one tubular to thenext.

One of these handling components is the casing tong. Prior art handlingof the casing tong is done by way of a separate arm that moves thecasing tong, combined with time-consuming manual handling. This priorart approach limits accessible space on the drill floor and can presentsafety risks to workers. Therefore, a need exists to handle tubulars inless space than the prior art approaches, with less material and manualhandling, and with improved levels of safety.

SUMMARY

This summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts that arefurther described below in the detailed description. This summary is notintended to identify key or essential features of the claimed subjectmatter, nor is it intended to be used as an aid in determining orlimiting the scope of the claimed subject matter as set forth in theclaims.

Embodiments of vertical pipe handling system including a handling toolfor casing tongs that eliminates the need for a separate, dedicated armto handle the casing tongs. The handling tool is mounted in a tubularlifting tool of a vertical pipe handler. The lifting tool includes agripper head. The handling tool includes a casing tong connection thatmay be offset from the handling tool's connection to the lifting tool.This offset allows the casing tong to hang off-center, thereby avoidinginterference between the gripper head of the lifting tool and thetubular being handled. In some embodiments, the handling tool includesat its lower end a triangular-shaped section that has the casing tongconnection. To prevent the handling tool from tilting, a guide head of alower guide arm of the vertical pipe handler may be used. A computercontrol system may be used to send one or more commands to the verticalpipe handler to place the casing tong in a correct position to connecttwo vertically oriented tubulars and, after connection, to move thecasing tong out of the way as the vertical pipe handler presents a newtubular for connection.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The subject disclosure is further described in the following detaileddescription, and the accompanying drawing and schematic of non-limitingembodiment of the subject disclosure. The features depicted in thefigure are not necessarily shown to scale. Certain features of theembodiments may be shown exaggerated in scale or in somewhat schematicform, and some details of elements may not be shown in the interest ofclarity and conciseness.

FIG. 1 is a view of an embodiment of a handle tool for casing tongs whenconnected to the gripper head of a vertical pipe handler.

FIG. 2 is view of an embodiment of the handle tool when gripped by theguide head connected to a lower guide arm of a vertical pipe handler.

ELEMENTS AND NUMBERING USED IN THE DRAWINGS

-   10 Handle tool or casing tong handling tool-   20 First section-   21 Lower end-   23 Upper end-   25 Vertical centerline-   29 Lifting tool connection-   30 Second section-   31 Horizontal leg-   33 Casing tong connection-   35 Vertical leg-   37 Far end-   39 Flange-   41 Connection means-   45 Vertical centerline-   47 Angled leg-   50 Vertical pipe handler-   51 Gripper head-   53 First arm-   55 Lifting tool-   57 Guide head-   59 Second arm-   60 Casing tong-   61 Column

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

One or more specific embodiments of the present disclosure will bedescribed below. These described embodiments are only exemplary of thepresent disclosure. Additionally, in an effort to provide a concisedescription of these exemplary embodiments, all features of an actualimplementation may not be described in the specification. It should beappreciated that in the development of any such actual implementation,as in any engineering or design project, numerousimplementation-specific decisions must be made to achieve thedevelopers' specific goals, such as compliance with system-related andbusiness-related constraints, which may vary from one implementation toanother. Moreover, it should be appreciated that such a developmenteffort might be complex and time consuming, but would nevertheless be aroutine undertaking of design, fabrication, and manufacture for those ofordinary skill having the benefit of this disclosure.

Embodiments of a handle tool for casing tongs of this disclosure aremounted to a lifting tool of a vertical pipe handling system. Thevertical pipe handling system may include a vertical racker column incommunication with one or more arms. The lifting tool may be a heavylifting tool connected to one of the arms and include a gripper head forhandling tubulars T. The handle tool provides a casing tong connectionpoint that may be offset in a horizontal direction from where thehandling tool connects to the lifting tool. The amount of offset can bean amount effective to prevent a clash or interference between thegripper head of the lifting tool and a tubular T being handled by thecasing tong. The connection of the handle tool to the lifting tool mayany type of connection suitable for safely securing the handle tool tothe lifting tool or gripper head.

The vertical pipe handler may perform all vertical pipe handlingoperations on the drill floor, including racking stands, building standsin the mousehole, picking up singles from the catwalk, laying outsingles to the catwalk, and tripping in and out of the fingerboard.These functions may be fully automated with a robotic control systemthat controls and monitors all operations and protects the column andrig from operator failure. In embodiments, the control system mayinclude software to execute a casing tong mode in connection with thehandling tool of this disclosure. This control system sends commands andreceives feedback from an arm of the vertical handler which is connectedto the casing tong handling tool and may send commands and receivefeedback from a casing tong connected to the handling tool.

Referring now to FIGS. 1 & 2, embodiments of vertical pipe handlingsystem or vertical pipe handler 50 include a lifting tool 55 with agripper head 51 and a casing tong handling tool 10 connected to thelifting tool 55. The lifting tool 55 is connected to a first arm 53 ofthe handler 50. The arm 50 may be an upper arm moveable in the X-, Y-,and Z-planes. The lifting tool 55 or arm 53 also may provide forrotation of the gripper head 55 in a horizontal plane. The handler 50may include a column 61 to which the arm 53 is connected.

The connection 29 to the lifting tool 55 is one suitable for connectingthe tool 10 to the lifting tool 55. In some embodiments, the liftingtool connection 29 may be located below the gripper head 51. In otherembodiments, the lifting tool connection 29 may be located on thegripper head 51. The gripper head 51 may also be used as the connection29 and grip the handling tool 10.

The casing tong handling tool 10 may include a first section 20 that isconnected to the lifting tool 55 and a second section 30 that provides acasing tong connection 33 that is offset in a horizontal direction fromthis connection 29 to the lifting tool 55. The casing tong connection 33may include a flange 39 that receives means 41 such as a hook forconnecting the casing tong 60 to the flange 39.

When the casing tong connection 33 is offset from the lifting toolconnection 29, the casing tong 60 hangs off-center relative to the tool10. The amount of offset—for example, as measured by the horizontaldistance between a vertical centerline 45 of the casing tong connection33 and a vertical centerline 25 of the lifting tool connection 29—may bean amount effective to prevent a clash or interference between a tubularT being handled by the casing tong 60 and the gripper head 51. With thisamount of offset, the tubular T can extend well above the casing tong 60without interfering with the gripper head 51. To prevent the casing tonghandling tool 10 from tilting, a second arm 59 of the handler 50 can beused. The arm 59, which may be a lower arm relative to arm 53 andmoveable in the X-, Y-, and Z-planes, can include a guide head 57 thatreceives the tool 10 and keeps it in a correct vertical orientation.

The sections 20, 30 of the handling tool 10 may be square-shaped incross-section or pipe- or tubular-shaped in cross-section and may differfrom one another in cross-section. In some embodiments, the firstsection 20 of the handling tool 10 may be include an elongated straightsection located toward an upper end 23 of the tool 10. In otherembodiments, the first section may be curved, at least in part. Theupper end 23 may be mounted in the lifting tool 55, below the gripperhead 51. Or, the upper end 23 may connect to, or be received by, thegripper head 51.

The second section 30 of the handling tool may include a non-verticalleg 31 or 47 that extends away from the lifting tool connection 29 andtoward the casing tong connection 33. Arranged in this way, the leg 31,47 provides the horizontal offset of the casing tong connection 33. Theconnection 33 may be located at the far end 37 of the leg 31, 47. Insome embodiments, the leg 31 is a horizontal leg. In other embodiments,the leg 47 is an (oblique) angled leg. The second section 30 may uselegs 31 and 47 in combination with a vertical leg 35 and form atriangular-shape. In some embodiments, the legs 31, 35, 47 form a rightangle. The vertical leg 35 may be arranged coaxial to the first section20.

Embodiments of a method for controlling a casing tong 60 on a drillfloor include using a microprocessor and associated software to send oneor more commands to a first arm 53 of a vertical pipe handler 50 that isconnected to a lifting tool 55. The lifting tool includes a gripper head51 for handling tubulars T and a casing tong handling tool 10 supportingthe casing tong 60. The one or more commands place the casing tong 60 inproper position to connect two vertically oriented tubulars T together.After connection of the two tubulars, one or more commands may be sentto the arm 53 to move the casing tong 60 away from this connect-toposition. The microprocessor and associated software may also send oneor more commands to second arm 59 and its guide head 57 to help the tool10 maintain a vertical orientation and prevent the tool 10 from tilting.

While the disclosure may be susceptible to various modifications andalternative forms, specific embodiments have been shown by way ofexample in the drawings and have been described in detail herein.However, it should be understood that the disclosure is not intended tobe limited to the particular forms disclosed. Rather, the disclosure isto cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling withinthe spirit and scope of the disclosure as defined by the followingappended claims.

The techniques presented and claimed herein are referenced and appliedto material objects and concrete examples of a practical nature thatdemonstrably improve the present technical field and, as such, are notabstract, intangible or purely theoretical. Further, if any claimsappended to the end of this specification contain one or more elementsdesignated as “means for” or “step for” performing a function, it isintended that such elements are to be interpreted under 35 U.S.C.112(f). However, for any claims containing elements designated in anyother manner, it is intended that such elements are not to beinterpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f).

1. A vertical pipe handler (50) comprising: a lifting tool (55)including a gripper head (51); a lifting tool connection (29); a casingtong handling tool (10) connected to the lifting tool by way of thelifting tool connection; the casing tong handling tool including acasing tong connection (33) located toward a lower end (21) of thecasing tong handling tool; the casing tong connection being offset in ahorizontal direction from the lifting tool connection.
 2. A verticalpipe handler according to claim 1 wherein the offset is by an amounteffective to prevent interference between the gripper head and a tubularbeing handled by a casing tong (60) connected to the casing tonghandling tool.
 3. A vertical pipe handler according to claim 1 furthercomprising a first arm (53) located above, and connected, to the liftingtool.
 4. A vertical pipe handler according to claim 1 further comprisinga second arm (59) including a head (57), the second arm located to aside of the lifting tool.
 5. A vertical pipe handler according to claim1 further comprising the lifting tool connection being located on thegripper head.
 6. A vertical pipe handler according to claim 1 furthercomprising the lifting tool connection being located below the gripperhead.
 7. A vertical pipe handler according to claim 1 further comprisingthe lower end of the casing tong handling tool including at least onenon-vertical leg (31, 47), the casing tong connection being locatedtoward one end (37) of the at least one non-vertical leg.
 8. A verticalpipe handler (50) comprising: a casing tong handling tool (10) connectedat one end (23) to a lifting tool (55) having a gripper head (51): and acasing tong connection (33) located toward a lower end (21) of thecasing tong handling tool; the casing tong connection being offset in ahorizontal direction from the gripper head.
 9. A vertical pipe handleraccording to claim 8 wherein the offset is by an amount effective toprevent interference between the gripper head and a tubular beinghandled by a casing tong connected to the casing tong handling tool. 10.A vertical pipe handler according to claim 8 further comprising a firstarm (53) located above, and connected, to the lifting tool.
 11. Avertical pipe handler according to claim 8 further comprising a secondarm (59) including a head (57), the second arm located to a side of thelifting tool.
 12. A vertical pipe handler according to claim 8 furthercomprising a connection (29) of the casing tong handling tool to thelifting tool being located on the gripper head.
 13. A vertical pipehandler according to claim 8 further comprising a connection (29) of thecasing tong handling tool to the lifting tool being located below thegripper head.
 14. A vertical pipe handler according to claim 8 furthercomprising the lower end of the casing tong handling tool including atleast one non-vertical leg (31, 47), the casing tong connection beinglocated toward one end (37) of the at least one non-vertical leg.
 15. Amethod for controlling a casing tong (60) on a drill floor, the methodbeing executed by a microprocessor with associated software, the methodcomprising: sending one or more commands to an arm of a vertical pipehandler (50) that is connected to a lifting tool (55), the lifting toolincluding a gripper head (51) and a casing tong handling tool (10), thecasing tong being connected to the casing tong handling tool; whereinthe one or more commands places the casing tong in a position to connecttwo tubulars T together or, after connection of the two tubulars, movesthe casing tong away from the position.